A tool that was once exclusive to creatives behind the scenes has gone mass-market on a platform that still doesn’t have an API.

And the masses are thrilled!

The traffic-load is huge and brands are salivating about how to get involved.

While there isn’t an ad platform yet there’s still a way for your brand to be active as Pinterest matures – here are a few tips:

1. Make sure you should be there

Pinterest is not just about sharing. It it not just a new social tool. It is a very specific group of individuals who are pinning. Those who want to be inspired and those looking to share inspiration with like minded people. Creative people in other words.

If your brand is in any way a lifestyle brand, then you should be set. If you sell something like smoke detectors or the little things that go on the end of shoelaces you may have a more difficult time gaining traction on Pinterest.

West Elm and Whole Foods have been early adopters who are doing well.

Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods is the world’s largest retailer of natural and organic foods, with stores throughout North America and the United Kingdom.

West Elm

West Elm designs clean simple products for modern living.

2. Upload original content

Ok so you are a lifestyle brand. You sell original paint or fashion accessories. Now what?

Immediately populate your profile with original content. Make sure the images are beautiful. Well lit, interesting compositions and vibrant imagery is sure to catch the eye.

It doesn’t hurt to give them a vertical composition if possible as their current browsing layout gives vertical images more real estate.

3. Curate Properly.

Organize your boards in unique ways for your brand its consumers. Avoid organizing things in themes that are over populated and bland. Instead of naming a theme “Cool Stuff” give it a title that is not seen day in and day out.

People will follow this grouping more often if it is original.

4. Repinning versus Liking

When adding content and curating, always remember that a Repin is better than a Like. Repinning means someone has adopted your content and added it to their mix. They just became an advocate for you and your product.

Aim for content to be “Repinned“, not just “Liked“.

Food “Pinned”

Style “Pinned”

5. Share the love

So you’re getting traction now and people are following, repinning and liking what you’re doing. Invite them back in. Follow them back. Repin their work. Try to identify their original work and repin it within your brands content. This may also be a good time to consider co-curating a collaborative board with some of your top active followers.

And lastly. Have fun with it! Even Paula Deen has images of her own Meme on her boards. “Paula Deen riding things” But please don’t quote that, the Paula Deen brand is not one to look to for marketing guidance but it’s important to embrace the emotional value of the Pinterest platform.

Be careful out there, it’s a new platform and you may come across the occasional shirtless Tim Tebow, but don’t get discouraged. Your brand can utilize this platform. Happy pinning!

Guest Author: Phil Rampulla who is the founder of the Material Group, an interactive design and development studio based in Chicago.

Although Pinterest is a great platform, I think many businesses
struggle with how to utilise it in a strategically beneficial way. It is important that businesses explore the
opportunities of social media for their marketing.

We wrote an article about whether copyright issues are about to burst
the Pinterest bubble..

Great suggestions for effective use of Pinterest by businesses. I like how you suggested arranging a board with the Original Content. That actually requires a good bit of arranging because you have to have the properly sized images in the proper order. Well done.

Anonymous

Thank you for breaking down the best ways to break into Pinterest. It seems the amount of new platforms is growing faster than my ability to read-up on them! It’s difficult to tell which are a flash in the pan and which have stay power and will add value to my business. As the owner of a boutique recruiting and career management firm, it’s important that I have my finger on the pulse of social media in order to stay current and grow my business. Thank you for the tips to get involved.
Ken C. Schmitthttp://www.turningpointsearch.net

Great post! I know the tech is so exciting when it comes to curating, but I’m fascinated by a few facts: museums had maintained their authenticity and credibility while most other brand “institutions” (commercial or governmental) have lost theirs. Further, museums rely on expertise for identifying, presenting, and supporting content that is hundreds of years old. So I studied it — including serving as a senior fellow at the Smithsonian — and combined it with my 30 years of experience as a brand marketer to come up with CuratorCamp, which is a half-day workshop that helps marketers learn how to curate like the real experts do.

Great post! I know the tech is so exciting when it comes to curating, but I’m fascinated by a few facts: museums had maintained their authenticity and credibility while most other brand “institutions” (commercial or governmental) have lost theirs. Further, museums rely on expertise for identifying, presenting, and supporting content that is hundreds of years old. So I studied it — including serving as a senior fellow at the Smithsonian — and combined it with my 30 years of experience as a brand marketer to come up with CuratorCamp, which is a half-day workshop that helps marketers learn how to curate like the real experts do.

Great post! I know the tech is so exciting when it comes to curating, but I’m fascinated by a few facts: museums had maintained their authenticity and credibility while most other brand “institutions” (commercial or governmental) have lost theirs. Further, museums rely on expertise for identifying, presenting, and supporting content that is hundreds of years old. So I studied it — including serving as a senior fellow at the Smithsonian — and combined it with my 30 years of experience as a brand marketer to come up with CuratorCamp, which is a half-day workshop that helps marketers learn how to curate like the real experts do.